Verbena plant named ‘Usbenal21’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Usbenal21’, characterized by its semi-upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; large violet-colored flowers; and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivarUsbenal21.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Usbenal21’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new disease-resistant and hightemperature-tolerant Verbena cultivars with semi-upright plant habit andattractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventoron Apr. 20, 1999 of an unknown selection of Verbena hybrida, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietaryselection of Verbena hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Usbenal21 was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from thiscross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun.10, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken at Bonsall,Calif., since Jun. 20, 2000, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Usbenal21’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Usbenal21’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Semi-upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Vigorous growth habit.

3. Large violet-colored flowers.

4. Resistant to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants ofthe new Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Verbena were not as upright as plants of the femaleparent selection.

2. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of thefemale parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Verbena were resistant to Powdery Mildew whereasplants of the female parent selection were susceptible to PowderyMildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants ofthe new Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selectionprimarily in flowering time as plants of the new Verbena floweredearlier than plants of the male parent selection.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Temari Blue, notpatented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall,Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivarTemari Blue in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than plants of thecultivar Temari Blue.

2. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of thecultivar Temari Blue.

3. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers than plants of thecultivar Temari Blue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical plants of ‘Usbenal21’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Usbenal21’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in15-cm containers with three plants per container were used for theaforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were aboutfour weeks from planting rooted cuttings. Plants were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the spring in Bonsall, Calif. in an outdoor nursery. During theproduction period, day temperatures ranged from about 18 to about 35° C.and night temperatures ranged from about 7 to about 18° C.

Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Usbenal21.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Unknown selection of Verbena hybrida, not patented.

Male parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 7 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days at 18° C.

Root description.—Fibrous; whitish in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Semi-upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;eventually somewhat trailing plant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Freely basal branching; about three lateralbranches develop per plant. Pinching, that is, removal of the terminalapices, enhances branching with lateral branches potentially forming atevery node. Vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.

Plant height.—About 25 cm.

Plant diameter or spread (single plant).—About 22 cm by 28 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.Internode length: About 5 to 7 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length: About 4 cm.Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Broadly acute. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Crenate, irregular. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Pubescent; coarse. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lowersurface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation,146D. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147D.Petiole: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 147D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers arranged onhemispherical corymbs. Freely flowering with about 26 flowers perinflorescence. Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliage.Flowers last about four to five days under greenhouse conditions.Corollas not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous from springuntil fall.

Inflorescence height.—About 3 to 3.5 cm.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 2 cm by 2 cm. Height (depth): About 2.3 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape:Elongate. Color: 92A.

Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base. Lobelength: About 9 mm. Lobe width: About 7 mm. Shape: Roughly cordate.Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower petalsurfaces: Glabrous, smooth; velvety. Texture, throat and tube:Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: 86B. When opening, lowersurface: 85A. Fully opened, upper surface: 86C; towards throat, 90A.Fully opened, lower surface: 85B to 85C. Throat: Close to 90A. Tube: 85Bto 85C.

Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into an elongated tube.Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute.Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface: 146A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 to 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.Strength: Strong. Angle to stem: Upright to about 45° from vertical.Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four per flower. Anther shape:Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 1A. Pollen amount:Scarce. Pollen color: 1A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistillength: About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 144D.Stigma shape: Parted. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color: 144B.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed tobe resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Verbena have not beenobserved to be resistant to other pathogens and pests common to Verbena.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures ranging from −4 to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named‘Usbenal21’, as illustrated and described.